Send Dizzy a Tip!

Buy Me a Coffee

New Season Open Thread

What did you think of the “I Was There” special?

How do you feel about the production changes on the new season? The Skype element?

Talk about it all here.

(Note: I moved some comments on this topic that were posted on other pages to here)

Comments
All comments.
Comments

  1. Crystal

    I was disappointed in the changes the show has incorporated. It seemed rushed for some reason. They jumped so quickly through the family members letters during the intervention. I also didn’t love the producers asking questions from off-camera when it wasn’t a sit-down type interview. The pacing seemed disjointed to me. And I must admit the Skype sessions are awfully gimmicky.

    I’m glad the show is back, but I’m struggling with change. I guess I’m the girl that wants to go to a Journey concert and have them play the songs just like they sound on the radio;)

  2. Sandra

    Allison looks very healthy! It was very exciting to see that. Way to go!

    I am thrilled that Ken will be back for this new season.

    Seeing the clips of Rocky & Sylvia created quite the visceral response in me, more than they ever had before. Especially when isolated from the rest of the episode. I admire people who are able to finally let go and surrender to the help that is given.

  3. Samantha

    I have to agree with Crystal that I’m not a fan of the new layout. It felt really cheap with the producer asking questions all the time, and the skype sessions made it seem impersonal. I’m SO excited for the episode tonight, though. No matter what, I’m a die-hard Intervention fan!

    The special was so intriguing. It was great how we got an inside look at episodes like the ones about Cristy and Linda (the crazier episodes), and it was so good to see how well Allison is doing. Absolutely GLOWING!

  4. Brian

    On the whole, I liked the I Was There special. It was good to see Allison 7 years later, and I wish they had caught up with more people from the past. One thing I though was strange was a few of the producers staying in shadow while they were being interviewed, like they were in the Witness Protection Program.

    1. Rhiannon

      Hello fellow intervention fan! The reason they shadowed some of them out was because some of the producers currently still work on the show and that was to prevent future interventions from recognizing them 🙂

  5. Kat R.

    I miss the old music a lot. I agree, the letters and whole intervention itself seem rushed with the editing.

    The skype sessions I actually don’t mind. We never saw the interventionists check in with the addicts before, so it’s nice to see them reconnect.

    1. Dizzy

      I agree. I really enjoy seeing the interventionist interview them.

      1. Christina Cowell

        Agree on the interventionists interviewing them – really good to see the connection.

        I’m glad its back and you go Allison!

  6. Tom

    If anyone has read the book “Made to Stick”, you will understand that the reason this show is so captivating is because it incorporates not some, but ALL the elements mentioned in the book: simple, unexpected, concrete, credible, emotional, and tells a powerful story.

    What I like about the new format is that they continue to do a good job of building to the climax at the end. That is the key element of the show that they must protect, and have. The first and second seasons did not do this, nor did Intervention Canada. This is one reason I don’t like the Canadian episode.

    I’m sure GRB Entertainment put this new format in front of a focus group and finessed it based on their feedback. But the one thing I can say that I don’t like about the new format is that the tone seems to be less reflective of the seriousness of the subject matter than are prior seasons. We’re dealing with people who are on the verge of dying. The music and graphics are not in harmony with that. A lot of people I know are turned off of the show because it seems to be capitalizing on people who are sick. So, my feedback to Sam Mettler would be that in the next season, he change the format to not make it seem like a sensationalized primetime TV speacial with glitz and glammor graphics, but use more of a somber tone and make it seem more like a documentary.

    1. Kat R.

      Yes, exactly! When the new music comes on, I feel like I’m about to watch a celebrity gossip show on E! or something. It’s so bad! I miss the prevalence of the music during the episodes, too. I briefly tuned in at 9 last night and I was really excited to hear the old bells coming back from the break, and then the background music that always accompanied the childhood story. But no, it was the Sarah/Mikeal rerun. Sigh.

      If anyone from A&E is watching, thanks for bringing back intervention! But please bring back the old music. We want bells! 🙂

      I also noticed that the shallow depth of field focus (or whatever the term is) camera stuff from the last season is gone. Production seems a little cheaper. I’m kind of neutral on that, it doesn’t bother me as much. I think the music is more crucial to the tone of the show. Just my $0.02

      1. Kat R.

        Oh one other thing…the producers asking questions off camera? I actually like that. I always wondered what questions they were asking off camera to get the addict or their loved ones talking.

  7. Tom

    Oh, and one other thing. The audio was not really good in a lot of cases, and they seem to rush through the parts where the viewer is given a background on the addict’s life. I had to rewind my DVR several times during the episodes and replay several parts because I misunderstood it the first time. Make more use of sub captioning when the audio is not good.

  8. oldspice

    I was glad to see the clip of the original Gabe, the math genius with the gambling addiction who was so out of control with his mom. That episode has been kept out of circulation. I watched it when it first aired and it got me hooked. I think it has been hidden because the other person in it was Vanessa from ER, who probably threatened to sue or something.

    1. Rhiannon

      I have been looking and looking for that episode and I can not find it anywhere! This must be the reason y? Not to sound ignorant, but who is Vanessa from er? She was on the episode I take it? Thanks!

      1. Zack

        Vanessa had a bit part on ER, and she was on the show “Las Vegas.” She was featured for a shopping addiction. In the end, Vanessa said the intervention “was not successful.”

  9. Sara

    I LOVED the “I was there” special, overall. I wish we had more specials where some questions get answered and behind the scenes things happened. Most refreshing to me was how the network seemed to take ownership of episodes that are either well known for the crazy shenanigans or that have been nearly impossible to find for years. More updates on previously featured people, please! If nothing else, this site alone stood as a true testament that people want to know how formerly featured addicts are still doing.

    Tonight, watching the rerun of last week, I realized the music sounds like game show music of sorts. Maybe I’m one of those “AAHH, CHANGE IS BAD” people. I was SO EXCITED to see our friend Inger Lisa Skoder on Mike’s episode. For those of you who may not know, she’s the nurse that helps the people through a safe detox on the trip, since the show first started. Wish she had some “I was there” insights.

    I’m still undecided about the Skype. Superficial me is annoyed at the picture quality while deeper me likes the conversation taking place between the interventionist and newly healthy person.

    Lastly, not sure why, but I’m speculating it may be because the swinger show must have been canceled, apparently they moved the show an hour later. I was all set for nine o clock new intervention/new Dizzy post, and Sarah/Micheal episode comes on. I totally said a swear word.

  10. Natashia

    Dizzy,
    This website is an awesome idea.
    I was wondering why you havnt went to treatment? You were doing so well.
    I know its rough as anything…
    I am trying to clean myself up now.

    1. Dizzy

      There are lots of reasons. But to be perfectly honest, treatment is a luxury for most people, including me. I went before because it was 100% paid for by my government job. It’s prohibitively expensive if you’re not relatively well-off, you don’t have full insurance coverage, and you’re not being sent there by a court. Not to mention taking that much time off work pretty much guarantees you’ll be unemployed and broke when you get out (ripe conditions for a relapse).

      Intervention’s offer of a full 90 days at a high quality treatment center has to be why so many families keep submitting their stories to the show and a big reason why the addicts at the intervention realize they should go. A “once in a lifetime opportunity” is absolutely correct.

      1. Sara

        Are you saying Intervention won’t take care of its own, Dizzy? What a dismal irony. Intervention needs an Intervention.

  11. Jon

    Hello, I am not sure where to start except to say that this Intervention site is very educational and informative. When I have a chance to get on this site, I try to read everything and learn as much as I can because I am a recovering opiate addict. This is important for me to maintain my sobriety because it is one of the tools that helps. I do not have access to resources like most of the people do. The reason for that is because I am Deaf. I also rely a support group meeting once a week that is interpreted by an interpreter. I’ve tried online support groups, but they’re not reliable. I also read a lot of books as well. This is the best site that has come across me because I see the real struggles they go through and all the consequences they have to deal with if I had the opportunity to go, I would seize it right away. The reason I’m posting this is because I want to say thank you for this website which have been a godsend for me because any little information may go a log way. There are many moments that I want to find some drugs when I’m depressed or in a extremely upset state. It’s a battle daily. I’m a high school teacher who teaches deaf students and it is rewarding. Keep up the good work!! It works for me.

    1. Rhiannon

      Hello Jon I just wanted to say thank u for putting ur story out here that means a lot to me! I myself am a recovering heroin addict and have never been able to get more than 6 months together 🙁 but when I hear story’s such as yours they are an inspiration to me to keep on fighting! Yes it is a daily battle, for me sometimes minute by minute but that’s y my favorite saying is “one day at a time” thanks again for ur story & keep up the great work!!!

      1. Rhiannon

        Also in my previous comment that is supposed to be a smiley face not a sad face!!

      2. Jon

        Hi Rhiannon,

        You are cute and funny, I didn’t even notice the smiley face until you mentioned it, I just knew it was smiley.

        Thank you so much for the note. It means the world to me. My drug of choice was heroin, after I got addicted to prescription pills.

        I am always trying to be in connection with people like you, it is not easy but for me, I would love to share my struggles on emails and have someone to talk to. I just started reading this website and really enjoy it. I am curious, where do you get most of your support? Who do you talk to the most to express your struggles? I have one friend here that I rely on, she is an amazing woman, going through similar struggles like I do, we touch base texting and sometimes for coffee. I am an extremely private person due to my being deaf. I always take good opportunities to cope and learn about addiction. Again, thank you for the nice note, and back to you, keep it up! You should be proud, even though I have not met you, I am proud of you!!

    2. Christina Cowell

      I think the show helps a lot of us in a lot of different ways and Dizzy helps us viewers connect via this website – Thank you Dizzy! Thank you for sharing Jon – thanks to Dizzy you have a new forum for support. It sounds like you are a blessing to your students. Congratulations on your tenacity – I struggle too and I try to remember that whatever pain I am in will pass.

  12. Dizzy

    Has anyone else noticed that the backstories/childhoods are remarkably shorter than they used to be, and there’s more emphasis on the intervention? Maybe it’s only the 3 episodes that have aired, one of them being a double episode, but it seems like they’re really spending less time on how the addict got to this place than they used to. The backstories have always been the part I was most intrigued by, it’s too bad they’re minimizing that.

    1. Sara

      I completely agree! They even breezed over Samantha’s childhood, which was pretty awful. And I have yet to know Lauren’s story because I missed the first FIVE minutes of the episode.

    2. Rhiannon

      Yes I definitely agree! If I could change anything it would be a longer back story, and please please bring back the MUSIC!!! I absolutely loved the original music!! But not having enough back story I don’t get the entire journey of how they got to where they are in the episode. It seems very hurried and rushed through

      1. Rhiannon

        I wrote this in my previous comment but it got cut off for some reason. A&E if your reading this first I would like to say thank you thank you thank you for putting Intervention back on the air!!!!!!!!

      2. Sophie

        I agree! The back story makes the whole show for me. I love seeing how the addict’s experience has marked his/her psyche, and how it affects family dynamics during the intervention.

        I get a bit bored with watching addicts throw tantrums at their family. In Katie’s episode the intrusion of her sisters in her apartment did not bring half as much to the story as more details on her childhood would have.

      3. Dizzy

        I totally agree, and that’s an excellent example.

  13. Kat R.

    Is the season over after this week’s episode? Daniel is the last one of all the addicts in the preview clips; we’ve seen everyone else, right?

  14. Sophie

    I don’t live in North America so I have to watch intervention on the Internet, and I usually buy them on iTunes.

    Does anyone know why Samantha C.’s episode is not online? It’s episode 4, and episodes 1,2,3, and 5 are available.

    Also, how many episodes will there be in seasons 15? Samantha’s episode is available with the whole season only, and iTunes is telling me subscribing to the season will be $ 17, which I am only willing to pay for a substantial number of episodes.

  15. Stephanie

    Can anyone tell me what the epilogue for Samantha (not Samantha C) said last night? My recording cut off at the end. It did it last week too. I’ve edited the recorder to go overtime so it won’t happen again but I want to know what happened with Samantha.

    1. Samantha R.

      It said that she got a job, moved into a sober living facility, and plans to stay in California. She has been sober since December 19, 2014 🙂

      1. Stephanie

        Thank you so much. I’m glad to hear she’s doing good. This show is so heartbreaking and it’s always great to see those success stories. I hope she keeps it up.

  16. Patricia M.

    In the ‘I Was There’ special it showed a woman going absolutely nuts and getting violent while naked. Has her episode aired yet? What is her name?

    1. Dizzy

      That’s Cristy, her infamous episode aired in 2006. https://intervention-directory.com/2011/09/episode-31-cristy/

  17. Kay

    I do have to agree that the production of the new episodes seems a little cheap and uninspired to me and really rushed. The dramatic music makes a huge difference.

    Watch the Al episode from a couple years ago- great music in that episode – that has to be one of my favorite episodes ever.

  18. Kat R.

    Not sure if this comment will be allowed (it’s ok if it’s not), but I think that Intervention and Hoarders have a lot of mutual fans. Just wanted to let you know that Hoarders is back on May 28 at 9PM on Lifetime! I’m really happy that they brought it back for another season; that’s another show that really provides people with compassionate, quality help they desperately need. It’s a shame A&E dropped it multiple times.

  19. stacey

    this is in regard of the new episodes. am I the only one that hates the video chats at the end of the episodes? I just don’t like that they changed that. to me it’s kind of impersonal. don’t get me wrong, I still love the show and couldn’t be happier that it’s back but that one change in the show really irritates me. also I love candy finnigan! she’s definitely my favorite interventionist. she seems to really care about the people on the show that she’s involved with for interventions. I’ve been a fan of this page for at least a year now and really want to thank the person that started it. I’m glad you did. although I’ve never commented on here before I do come on here about once a week to read updates. one last thing, I’m a recovering addict myself, my drug of choice was heroin and will be 6 years clean in September and the show intervention has helped me so much in my recovery. I’m very thankful for that.

    1. lisa

      I don’t like it either! They should at least put a box of the other person on the side of the screen. The bouncing from one camera to another is just to much for me. Makes me dizzy. No pun intended!

      1. Dizzy

        Agreed. It makes me dizzy and I’m always dizzy. HA!

  20. lisa

    Am I the only one who feels like this new season is set up. Like the sisters visiting their sister who they haven’t seen in years. Its not what normally happens in her life. They also have a family member talking all calm and rational to each addict which I doubt is how it really is. It just doesn’t seem as real as previously

  21. Jon

    Hello,

    I have been wondering and wanted to ask about suboxone and methadone alternative treatment.

    I have never seen any mention about these treatments. It seems that it is not widely supported or accepted? Is it due to taking the easy road or it is not really a good method to cope with addiction? To me it looks like anyone on these medication will not learn how to deal or cope on a daily basis and this is a easy escape from your demons, not understanding the triggers and working on it?

    Am I the only one who is wondering? I have been taking methadone after numerous relapses and a three stints in treatments. It really saved my life and I do not know where I would be today if I did not get involved in methadone program.

    1. Sara

      I’m actually mildly confident that in the update for adopted Gabe, they show him in the detox facility where they discuss the dosages of suboxone. There have been other herion addicts that hose methadone programs after treatment. we have also seen addicts who have abused methadone (Billy, Nikki, and Michelle, just to name a few), and IV drug user Brittany even abused suboxone. I didn’t even kno anyone could do that. I have heard that for some people these pain management programs can help their sobriety, so good for them.

  22. lisa

    Is the season over already?

    1. Dizzy

      It’s coming back in July and I think it’s the same season.

  23. Rebecca

    Sorry to post this here but didn’t see anywhere else to do it. I think there is a missing write-up for Ricardo (s10e09). He’s in the episode with Brittney got got weight loss surgery and became an alcoholic.

    1. Dizzy

      Weird. It was here, must’ve gotten unpublished somehow. I’ll track it down, thanks.

  24. lisa

    Anyone use Google play and missing the mike Lauren episode? What’s up with that?

  25. Kat R.

    New episodes start July 26! Preview clip is on the app. That one guy seems downright possessed…scary.

  26. kristy

    I noticed that you were missing phillip season 5 episode 4

  27. Kat R.

    The lack of diversity in race and age this season is pretty glaring, don’t you think?

  28. brooke

    Does anybody know where to find the older episodes? Like the people who were in season 1